


A Case of You?

by tinsoldier



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Drama & Romance, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 12:06:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18234641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinsoldier/pseuds/tinsoldier
Summary: Love.The mere thought of it terrified him. All the crazy, stupid things people did in the name of it. He’d once asked his uncle about it and all he said was that he’d understand it when he got older. He’d been ten at the time. All he knew was that he didn’t want to end up like his father. Miserable. Lonely. Pining after someone who was never coming back.A story of moving on from something and starting over, of friendship, old and new. And of Love and how you can find it where you least expect it.





	A Case of You?

He lay on the floor of his bedroom, in the semi darkness, looking up at the small star-shaped pieces of plastic glued to the ceiling. They glowed a faded neon color. The sound of an old Smiths album filled the room. He closed his eyes and listened to the words. It had been one of his mother’s favourite records, or at least that’s what his dad had always told him. He had never got the chance to get to know her; she’d left when he was only a baby. 

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Keith, it’s time.” 

He opened his eyes, then slowly, he got to his feet. He grabbed the jacket from the back of his desk chair and put it on. Checking his reflection in the mirror one last time, he looked pale and tired; circles were visible under his eyes. He let out a sigh; there was nothing he could do about that now. He put on the jacket and walked over to the door, with one hand on the doorknob he took a shaky breath. 

“Here we go,” he said in a whisper as he opened the door. 

The drive to the church was quiet, and as they pulled up to the parking lot Keith could see the crowd gathering at the church entrance.  
He got out of the car and stood there for a moment, allowing everything to sink in. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at the tall, familiar figure of his uncle standing at his side. 

“You ready for this?” Thace asked.  
“I-… I don’t think I’ll ever be,” Keith said.  
His throat felt dry. 

He put his hands in the pockets of his trousers and with some effort he swallowed the waves of emotion welling up inside him. 

He looked down at the ground and saw a lone pebble at his feet; he considered it for a moment and then kicked it with his shoe. It flew across the ground and skidded to a halt next to car on the opposite side of the parking lot. 

“I’ll be right next to you the entire time,” his uncle gave him a sad smile.

Keith looked up at his uncle and a silent understanding passed between them. 

 

Two months previously 

September. 

Changing of the seasons, summer, turning to autumn. The leaves on the trees now painted red, yellow and orange, shining golden and brown in the sunlight.  
It was a gray and rainy day; Keith hurried along the sidewalk towards the small coffee shop on the corner of the street. He turned up the collar of his coat to shield himself from the cold wind. 

A few minutes later, he entered the café. He was grateful for the heat; his shoes and the bottom of his jeans were soaked. He shook the rain out of his hair and looked around. 

He spotted his uncle sitting by the window at a table for two with a steaming cup of tea. He was reading the reading a newspaper. When he saw Keith, he raised a hand in greeting, beckoning for him to join him. Keith ordered a coffee and made his way over to his uncle. 

“I see that you made it here in one piece,” Thace said as he placed his now folded newspaper on the table.  
“More or less,” Keith replied, his mouth twitching into a smile.  
He removed his coat and sat down. 

He looked out the window. He could feel his uncle’s gaze watching him closely and after a brief silence, Thace, asked the question Keith dreaded.  
“So, how are you holding up?” 

Taking his time to come up with an answer that wouldn’t be a complete lie, Keith watched the raindrops dripping down the window.  
“I’ve been better,” he said at last, taking a sip of coffee. 

The liquid was scalding and it burned the inside of his mouth.  
“Kinda weird living in that house all on my own.”

Thace nodded.  
“That’s understandable and part of the reason as to why I asked you to meet with me today.” 

Keith felt his body tense and stared down at the table, at the lines in the wood, how they zigzagged their way over the surface. 

“You know,” Thace said, pausing to take a sip of tea.  
He made a face as if the tea had a bitter taste to it.  
“I once made a promise to your father. A promise that if anything ever happened to him. That I would care for you and your brother.”  
Keith looked up and met his uncle’s gaze. 

“What exactly did you promise him?”

Thace placed his teacup on the table and scratched his bearded chin. He considered Keith for a moment, then, he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out an envelope. He placed it between them on the table. 

“It’s for you. I’m sorry I didn’t give it to you sooner,” Thace leaned back in his chair, waiting. 

“What is it?” Keith asked, staring at the envelope.  
“I don’t know, I haven’t read it. It is after all, addressed to you.”  
Thace watched as Keith reached for the envelope, hands shaking ever so slightly. 

He opened it. 

It was a letter. 

A letter written in his father’s hand.  
He skimmed through it and felt his eyes tear up. His words, the last words he’d ever get. 

An explanation. 

An apology.

Keith dried his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. He put the letter away.  
To compose himself, Keith reached for his mug and took another sip of coffee. 

He looked up at his uncle, a slight smile on his lips.  
“So when are you moving in?” 

\--

The house had stood empty for so long, but now it seemed far too crowded. There was nowhere to hide. Keith felt like he had no space to breathe, he had to get some air. He walked into the hallway, grabbed a coat from one of the hangers and stepped outside. 

He did not like funerals, but what he disliked even more was talking to distant relatives who looked at him with pity. Telling him what a tragedy it was, but that it’d get better with time.

A thin layer of freshly fallen snow covered the ground. Breathing in the cool November air he took a few steps down the staircase onto the sidewalk. He put his hands in the deep pockets of the coat and started to walk. The sound of the snow beneath his shoes echoed along the deserted street. When he reached the small park at the end of the street he stopped. He found a bench by the playground and sat down. 

The clouds parted, he closed his eyes and tilted his head up towards the light. He felt the beams of sunlight on his face; saw the shadows from the trees dancing on his eyelids. 

He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting there when he heard the sound of light footsteps approaching in the snow.  
Keith opened his eyes and squinted in the direction of the swings.  
“You alright, pigeon?” he asked.

“How many times do I have to say it, Mullet? It’s Pidge or Katie.” 

Keith’s mouth twitched into a smile as he looked at the small figure in front of him.  
Katie Holt was standing there in the chilly air, without a coat on.

“How are you not cold?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.  
“I saw you leave and then I couldn’t find my coat. So I chose to go without it,” she said, crossing her arms.  
Keith considered her for a moment. 

“Sorry Pidge. It’s just,” he sighed.  
“I needed a break from all of that.”  
He made a gesture towards the houses.

They looked at each other and holding his gaze she said.  
“Keith, I get it.” 

He looked away, not comfortable looking into her knowing eyes.  
He knew that if anyone understood it was her. A couple of years ago Katie had lost her father in a horrible car accident.  
They both fell silent and after a few minutes a large cloud blocked the sun and what little warmth it might have brought with it quickly subsided. 

Keith took a deep breath. 

“Has he-...” He broke off mid sentence; he couldn’t get the words out.  
Katie shook her head. 

“I’m sorry Keith,” she said shifting her weight from one foot to the other.  
“It’s not like I expected-…” Keith could see her shivering in the cold air. 

He got to his feet, removed the coat he was wearing, crossed the small distance between them and draped it over her shoulders. 

“C’mon,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Let’s go back.”  
They grasped hands and then, slowly, walked back to the house.

\--

A few hours later, Keith took refuge in the kitchen. 

“I don’t know if I can take much more of this Pidge,” he muttered to Katie.  
“Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon,” Katie said as she gave him a pat on the head. 

She sat on one of the kitchen counters, it was one of the few times she was tall enough to reach the top of his head.  
“Not soon enough,” He said, walking over to the fridge.  
He took out a soda can and offered it to Katie.  
She shook her head.  
“No thanks,”

He shrugged, opened one for himself and drank from it.  
“I will however take another one of these,” she reached for a jar on the counter filled with cat-shaped cookies, taking one before jumping down.  
“Your uncle makes the best cookies,” she said as she reached for the jar a second time. 

The sound of a phone buzzing filled the kitchen, it made Katie jump. She reached into a pocket of her dress and pulled out her phone.  
She looked at the lit up display and sighed.  
“I’m really sorry to have to do this to you but..-” 

“You have to go,” Keith guessed.  
“Yeah, Matt’s picking us up,” she explained.  
“I’ll walk you out.”  
He put the soda can on the counter and followed Katie to the hallway. 

“Now where did I put my coat?” She said as she rummaged through a pile of coats lying on top of a chair.  
Keith saw the familiar green of Katie’s coat on one of the hangers on the wall.  
“Here,” he said reaching out and pulling it out from underneath a bulking jacket.  
“Thanks,” She smiled.

Her phone buzzed again.  
“He’s outside,” she said buttoning her coat.  
“I just have to find mum.” 

“Right here, sweetheart,” Mrs. Holt said from where she stood on the threshold to the living room, already dressed in her coat and ready to leave.  
Just then, Thace appeared from the kitchen.  
“Something for the road,” he said, smiling as he handed Katie a small tupperware box.  
She beamed  
“Thank you.”  
“Don’t mention it,” he said as she hugged him.

“It’s been lovely to see you Keith, although I wish it had been under better circumstances,” Mrs. Holt stepped forward and gave him a big hug.  
The doorbell rang and Keith hurried to open it.  
A tall, scrawny looking guy with messy hair and glasses stood outside the door.  
“Hi Matt,” Keith said, letting him in.  
“Hey Keith,” he said in a cheerful voice.

“Sorry I couldn’t come earlier. I just couldn’t get out of work.”  
“It’s fine, trust me, you didn’t miss much,” Keith assured him.  
“You have my sympathies though,” Matt patted him on the shoulder.  
“Thanks Matt.”

“He doesn’t really like it when people touch him,” Katie said, walking up to her brother, hugging him around the waist.  
“Sorry,” Matt said apologetically, quickly withdrawing his hand.  
“Ready to go?” Matt asked, turning to his mother.

She nodded, and on her way out the door she stopped in front of Keith.  
“You take care now,” She said as she patted his cheek.  
“I’ll do my best Mrs H.”  
She smiled at him. 

“Bye mullet,” Katie said with a smirk as she followed her mother and brother to the car.  
“Bye Pidge,” Keith raised a hand in a wave before closing the door behind them. 

\--

Later that evening, Keith sat at the dining table, shuffling a deck of cards. The reception was over and everyone had gone home.  
Thace joined him at the table, he placed two sodas on the table as he sat down opposite Keith.  
He opened the bottles and pushed one towards Keith. 

Setting aside the deck of cards, Keith grabbed it and took a swig from the bottle.  
“So what happens now?” he asked after a brief silence. 

“Well,” Thace said.  
He took a sip from his drink as he pondered his answer.  
“..We can either we sell the house and you come live with me in the city or..”  
“Or?” Keith pressed on.  
“I’ll move in here with you, permanently,” Thace said, scratching his chin.

“Is that what you want?”  
Keith felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach.  
“Keith, this is about you. What do you want?”  
“I-I don’t know,” he said. 

In all honesty, Keith had no idea what he wanted.  
“You don’t have to decide right this minute,” Thace said, getting to his feet.  
“Just think about it,” he said with a sad smile.  
Keith nodded.  
The uneasy feeling in his stomach settling a bit. 

“Now, what do you say we order some food?” Thace said as he headed for the kitchen.  
“Yeah, sounds good. I’d like that,” Keith felt the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile.

\--

As he lay in bed, waiting for sleep. He watched the stars glowing in the ceiling, listening to the music from the old record player.  
“-Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head..”

His eyelids felt heavy.  
“-And as I climb into an empty bed. Oh well... Enough said...” 

He closed his eyes.  
“-I know it’s over - still I cling. I don’t know where else I can go.. Oh..”

Maybe, after all, he thought as he felt himself drifting off to sleep. 

Maybe, things would turn out all right.

**Author's Note:**

> So there you have it, the first chapter. I wrote it ages ago but never had the courage to post it until now.  
> If you liked it and want me to continue with the story let me know!


End file.
